As many of you know, 2017 has been an exciting year for TMHQ. In the last few months, we’ve introduced the community to two new competitive event formats - Tougher Mudder and Toughest Mudder - built upon an endurance racing pedigree that has been cultivated through 6 years of building World’s Toughest Mudder into one of the most challenging events on the planet. We’ve also thrown down the (literal) gauntlet - challenging our diehards to compete in a Tougher, Toughest, and World’s Toughest Mudder within a single year to earn The Holy Grail. Now, we’re turning things up another notch.

Today, we’re very excited to announce Tough Mudder X - a first-of-its-kind elite fitness competition - that TMHQ will be producing in partnership with CBS Sports in 2017. The inaugural event, scheduled for July 14th, 2017 in Hugo, Minnesota, will pit professional athletes from multiple disciplines - think Olympians, ex-NFL players, top OCR athletes, and Crossfit champs - against each other in what we’re calling “The Toughest Mile on the Planet”. Over the course of several hours, a select pool of approximately 200 elite athletes will go head-to-head on the 1-mile course, facing 10 of Tough Mudder’s world-class obstacles and 10 workout zones, in a winner-takes-all showdown for a $25,000 top prize for the top Male and Female finisher. Coverage of the competition will air in two 1-hour specials on CBS in late-Summer and early-Fall. Interested athletes can apply to compete through this application (more details below).

In tandem with this super exciting announcement, we wanted to give Mudder Nation an insider’s glance at why we’ve created TMX - and how to get involved.

Why we’ve created TMX:

Over the past 7 years, obstacle course racing has developed into a world-class sport, complete with its own roster of truly elite (and recognizable) athletes. Top competitors, like Ryan Atkins, have pulled off consistently astounding performances and continually raised the bar - making a case for OCR as one of the best all-around tests of fitness on the planet. Meanwhile, TMHQ has spent years researching and developing comprehensive functional fitness regimes, to best understand how athletes can most effectively train for Tough Mudder events.

Building on these expertise, Tough Mudder X is an incredible opportunity for us to bridge the gap between pure fitness competition and our world class obstacles courses, in a format designed to find the best all-around athletes in the world, across multiple fitness disciplines. As an added bonus, TMX will not only provide a platform for top OCR athletes to compete with world-class athletes from other backgrounds, but it will also introduce an even wider audience to the Tough Mudder values that have created one of the world’s greatest tribes - further strengthening our vital community.

What to expect at TMX:

As we mentioned, TMX is going to include 10 of Tough Mudder’s kickass obstacles, spaced along a 1-mile sprint-distance course. Runners will face fan favorites, such as Everest 2.0, Kong, and Funky Monkey - along with one or two surprise additions.

Think that TMX is just a shortened version of the Tough Mudder that you’ve seen before? Think again. Each obstacle on the course will be paired with a short workout station, to level the playing field and ensure that TMX is truly testing all-around athleticism. Runner will need to prepare themselves for pull-ups, thrusters, box jumps, sled drags, and many other favorites of the functional fitness crowd.

For those not running the course, spectators will not only have the opportunity to see some of the world’s best athletes pushing their physical limits - they’ll be treated to a full live sports production and an awesome party on Friday afternoon. An MC will be providing live coverage of the event, food trucks will be on-site, and there is some special entertainment in the works.

How to get involved:

Intrigued by all of these details? Want to help drive Tough Mudder’s next stage of growth? There are a bunch of great ways to get involved in the first-ever Tough Mudder X event - and all of Mudder Nation is invited!

Spectators - If we’re going to be on TV, we’d better show off just how strong (and badass) Mudder Nation is. TMHQ is looking to cultivate a truly kick-ass crowd to cheer on the pro athletes at TMX - and we’re willing to make it worth your while. Come join us for a killer party on July 14th from 4-9pm to watch some of the best athletes in the world go head-to-head. We’ll be giving away limited-edition t-shirts to the first 1,000 spectators and free Spectator passes for Tough Mudder/Tough Mudder half on Saturday & Sunday. Sign-up here! (Please note - attendance is required for the entirety of the competition, from 4-9pm).

Judges - Have a fitness background? Experience refereeing other sports? A professional competition requires professional judges and TMHQ is recruiting experienced judges from Mudder Nation to be part of TMX. Candidates should apply here and confirm availability on Friday, July 14th from 9am-9pm. Selected judges will be offered a free Tough Mudder entry at the conclusion of TMX. The application deadline is 6/19.

Athletes - Are you a world-class athlete? Maybe you’ve won an OCR championship, or been to the Olympic trials, or competed in the CrossFit Games. If this sounds like your kind of competition, TMHQ is fielding applications for elite-level competitors at TMX. Fill out an application here to be considered for one of the limited number of available competitor positions, and your chance to win the $25,000 prize. If selected, you will be required to attend TMX from 9am-9pm on Friday, July 14th for the competition. The application deadline is 6/19.